Self-storing mooring line installation



April 21, 1964 A. E. BUcHHoLz sELF-sIoRING MooRING LINE INSTALLATIONFiled Feb. 19, 1962 @ML MLM lrIafA/EYL United States Patent O 3,129,68SSELF-STORING MGRING LINE ENSTALLATION Albert E. Buchhoiz, deceased, lateof Kenosha, Wis., by Robert K. Geriing, special administrator, DesPlaines, Ill., assigner to Outboard Marine Corporation, Waukegan, Ill.,a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 174,312 7Claims. (Cl. 114-230) This invention relates generally to self-storingmooring lines for boats. More particularly, the invention relates to,and has for an object, the provision on a self-storing mooring linewhich is self-retracting into a given storage area or space, togetherwith means preventing complete retraction of the mooring line into thestorage area so as to retain easy accessibility of at least one end ofthe mooring line.

In the preferred construction the self-storing mooring line is housed ina recess in the hull of a boat and passes through an aperture or openingin the hull leading to the recess. The mooring line includes, adjacentits free end, an enlarged portion which is proportioned to preventpassage through the aperture. In the speciiically disclosed constructiona ball or sphere is secured to the end of the mooring line.

The invention also makes provision whereby a single length of mooringline can be arranged for self-storage while also locating both ends ofthe line for easy accessibility to facilitate mooring of a boat to adock or the like.

In general, the main object of the invention is the provision of animproved self-storing mooring line installation. Other objects andadvantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings of three embodimentsof the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a partially broken away perspective view illustrating a boatincorporating a self-storing mooring line embodying various of thefeatures of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic View of a mooring line arrangement similar tothe arrangement incorporated in the boat shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view of another embodiment of a mooring linearrangement incorporating various of the features of the invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a partial perspective View showing a boat moored to a pierwith a mooring line in accordance with the invention.

The boat 11 shown in FIGURE 1 includes a supporting hull 13incorporating a self-storing mooring line 15. The mooring line isnormally housed in a storage space or recess 17 in an area under aportion of the side deck 19. Of course, various storage facilities canbe employed.

The mooring line 15 can be carried by the hull 13 so as to make eitherone or both ends of the line available for securing the boat to a dockor pier 21. In FIGURES 1 and 2 there are shown arrangements by whichboth ends of a mooring line are available for mooring a boat.

More specifically, as shown in FIGURE l, the mooring line 15 passesthrough openings or apertures 23 in the hull 13 leading to the storagerecess 17. Within the storage recess 17 the mooring line 15 is reverselytrained around a pair of opposed pulleys 25 to provide three generallyparallel runs 27, 29 and 31. Each of the pulleys 25 is secured to theboat hull 13 to effect retraction of the mooring line into the storagerecess 17 by suitable means biasing one or both of the pulleys forrelative movement in a direction which increases the length or" the runs27, 29 and 31. In FIGURE l, such means comprises a pair of helical coilsprings 33, while in FIGURE 2, a pair of elastic shock cords 35 areshown.

3,129,688 Patented Apr. 21, 1964 Complete withdrawal of the mooring line15 from the storage recess, and complete retraction of the mooring lineinto the storage recess, are both prevented by means adjacent each endof the mooring line co-operating with the apertures 23 to preventpassage of the associated mooring line ends. Although variousarrangements can be provided, each end of the mooring line 15 includesan enlarged portion 37 which, in the disclosed construction, isspherical in form and seats against one of the diametrically smallerapertures 23 to prevent passage therethrough of the associated end ofthe mooring line. In addition, the enlarged, ball shaped portions 37also function as gripping elements to facilitate withdrawal of themooring line 15 from the storage recess 17.

In FIGURE 3 there is shown diagrammatically an arrangement wherein onlyone end of a mooring line 41 is available for securing a boat to a pieror the like. Specifically, the mooring line 41 is I'ixed at one end tothe hull 43 of a boat (not shown). The line 41 is self-storing bysuitable means which, in the disclosed construction, includes a pulley45 around which the line 41 is trained, and means in the form of ahelical coil spring 47 urging the pulley 45 away from the point oflixation of the mooring line 41 to the hull 43. The mooring line 41extends from the pulley 45 in a general direction away from thedirection in which the pulley is urged and passes through an eye 49 onthe hull 43. Carried by the free end of the mooring line and engaged bythe eye 49 to prevent retraction of the free end of the mooring linethrough the eye, is an enlarged portion 51 inthe form of a diametricallylarger ball. Thus, the free end of the mooring line is retained ineasily accessible position.

FIGURE 3 also shows a modification, partially in dotted outline, whereinthe mooring line 41 passes through two eyes or openings 49 and has, ateach end, an enlarged portion 51, and wherein the pulley 45 is locatedbetween or intermediate the openings 49 and is urged away therefrom.

If desired, when mooring a boat, such as the disclosed boat 11incorporating the mooring line 15, the mooring line can be secured tothe pier 21 and also to a cleat 53, as shown in FIGURE 4, to limitshifting of the boat 11 relative to the pier 21.

Various of the features of the invention are set forth in the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination of a boat hull having a pair of spaced openings, amooring line extending from a storage area through both of saidopenings, a pair of pulleys, means for mounting said pulleys on saidhull in said storage area and for urging said pulleys away from eachother, said mooring line being trained around said pulleys to providethree generally parallel runs, and means on said mooring line at eachend thereof for preventing retraction of said ends through said openingsto the storage area.

2. A boat mooring installation including support means, a mooring line,means on said support means deiining a pair of openings through whichsaid mooring line passes, a pair of pulleys, means for mounting saidpulleys on said support means and for urging said pulleys in oppositedirections away from each other, said pulleys having said mooring linetrained therearound so as to provide three generally parallel line runs,and means on said mooring line adjacent each end thereof and outwardlyof said openings proportioned for preventing passage thereof throughsaid openings and affording means for easily gripping the ends of saidmooring line.

3. A boat mooring installation including support means, a mooring line,means on said support means deiining a pair of openings through whichsaid mooring line passes, a pair of pulleys having said mooring linetrained therearound, means for mounting said pulleys on said supportmeans and for urging said pulleys relative to each other so as to drawsaid line inwardly of said openings, and means on said mooring lineadjacent each end thereof and outwardly of said openings proportionedfor preventing passage thereof through said openings and affording meansfor easily gripping the ends of said mooring line.

4. The combination of a boat hull having a pair of openings, a mooringline free of fixed connection with said boat hull and extending throughboth of said openings, means biasing said line for retraction throughsaid openings into a storage area, and means at each of the ends of saidmooring line for preventing full retraction of said mooring line throughsaid openings.

5. The combination of a boat hull, a mooring line, a storage recess onsaid hull for housing said mooring line, a pair of resilient meansconnected to said hull and to said mooring line and acting in oppositedirections so as to urge the ends of said mooring line into said storagerecess, and co-operating means on said hull and on said mooring line forpreventing complete movement of said mooring line into said storagerecess, said co-operating means including an enlarged portion at eachend of said mooring line and means defining a pair of openings in saidrecess through which said mooring line passes, said openings beingproportioned to prevent passage therethrough of said enlarged mooringline portions while permitting passage of the remainder of said mooringline.

6. A boat mooring installation including support means, means on saidsupport means dening a pair of openings, a pulley, means mounting saidpulley on said support means for movement of said pulley away from saidopenings, a mooring line extending through each of said openings, aroundsaid pulley, and otherwise free of lixed connection to said supportmeans, and means on said mooring line adjacent each end thereof andoutwardly of said openings proportioned for preventing passage thereofthrough said openings and affording means for easily gripping the endsof said mooring line.

7. A boat mooring installation including support means dening an openingon said support means, a pulley, a mooring line extending through saidopening and trained around said pulley, means securing one end of saidmooring line to said support means, means on said support meansincluding a spring connected to said pulley and acting at all times tobias said pulley for linear movement so as to fully retract said linethrough said opening, and means at the other end of said mooring linefor co-operation with said opening to prevent full retraction of saidmooring line through said opening.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 664,210Bryon Dec. 18, 1990 2,984,202 Lunde May 16, 1961 3,051,448 Pletta Aug.28, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 123,005 Sweden Oct. 12, 1948

7. A BOAT MOORING INSTALLATION INCLUDING SUPPORT MEANS DEFINING ANOPENING ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS, A PULLEY, A MOORING LINE EXTENDINGTHROUGH SAID OPENING AND TRAINED AROUND SAID PULLEY, MEANS SECURING ONEEND OF SAID MOORING LINE TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS, MEANS ON SAID SUPPORTMEANS INCLUDING A SPRING CONNECTED TO SAID PULLEY AND ACTING AT ALLTIMES TO BIAS SAID PULLEY FOR LINEAR MOVEMENT SO AS TO FULLY RETRACTSAID LINE THROUGH SAID OPENING, AND MEANS AT THE OTHER END OF SAIDMOORING LINE FOR CO-OPERATION WITH SAID OPENING TO PREVENT FULLRETRACTION OF SAID MOORING LINE THROUGH SAID OPENING.